readiness
Americannoun
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the condition of being ready.
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ready movement; promptness; quickness.
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willingness; inclination; cheerful consent.
a readiness to help others.
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a developmental stage at which a child has the capacity to receive instruction at a given level of difficulty or to engage in a particular activity.
noun
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the state of being ready or prepared, as for use or action
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prepared and waiting
all was in readiness for the guests' arrival
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in preparation for
he tidied the house in readiness for the guests' arrival
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willingness or eagerness to do something
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ease or promptness
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of readiness
Explanation
Readiness is a quality of being able or willing to do something. An athlete's readiness for the Olympics has to do with how warmed up she is, whether she's recovered from injuries, as well as her psychological state. Your readiness for something usually has to do with how well prepared you are. Your parents might have decorated a room and bought a crib before you were born, in readiness for your arrival. And local police sometimes clear the streets and direct traffic away in readiness for a big parade. Readiness can also mean "willingness," like an eager kindergartner's readiness to learn how to read.
Vocabulary lists containing readiness
"Dragon, Dragon"
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The Suffix -ness, Part 1
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for June 25–July 1, 2022
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Intuitive Surgical took the top spot on the strength of its future readiness and healthy board dynamics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
“I could imagine that the likelihood of going to college increases, and I could also imagine that the quality of college also improves because college readiness is being affected by these investments,” Johnson said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
South Korea's National Security Office convened an emergency security meeting following the launch to review the country's military readiness.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
But she warned that school readiness could become a source of anxiety for families and said it was important to recognise that children reached milestones at different speeds.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
It would be extremely difficult to get everyone—not to mention the bomb itself—to this point of readiness again.
From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
